At SparkLayer, we’re constantly inspired by how our customers use our platform to streamline operations and improve their B2B buyers’ experiences.
One particularly popular feature is our Sales Agent tool. It enables sales reps to place orders on behalf of their customers, adding an additional layer of customer service and personalisation.
Whether your business has in-house sales reps, showroom staff, or on-the-road agents, this tool gives them the ability to create orders directly within your B2B store.
This means every order reflects the correct B2B pricing, automatically applies discounts, and adds account details. All without relying on manual tasks or back-and-forth emails.
This feature has been widely adopted, and, over the years, we’ve seen some great use cases. One that really stands out comes from 34 St. John, a luxury bathroom brand that’s using the Sales Agent tool to power their B2B growth in UK showrooms.
Overview of 34 St. John
Based in the UK, 34 St. John specialises in high-end bathroom design and fixtures. Their business model involves working with a network of independent showrooms across the country.
Managing these relationships at scale can be challenging, especially when each showroom partner needs to check pricing and place orders on behalf of their own customers. That’s where SparkLayer comes in.
We first collaborated with 34 St. John in 2024 on a case study that explored how they were using SparkLayer to simplify their B2B operations. Since then, the partnership has evolved, and the team has continued to find new and practical ways to use the platform.
Most recently, they shared how the Sales Agent feature has become an essential part of their day-to-day showroom process - and the results speak for themselves.
How 34 St. John uses SparkLayer’s Sales Agent tool
The Sales Agent feature allows members of the 34 St. John’s sales team, and showroom reps, to place orders directly.
When a showroom rep logs in, they can browse products and see their bespoke trade pricing. Discounts and promotions are automatically applied, and the entire checkout process is seamless from start to finish.
“We now showcase SparkLayer as a tool for showrooms to enter orders directly. It's extremely positive because they can place the order themselves, choose delivery dates, view all the discounts available to them, and they can see all the historical orders. So it's a massive selling point for them”, Kevin Sears, eCommerce Director at 34 St. John.
This process has transformed how 34 St. John manage their showroom relationships. Instead of relying on manual purchase orders (POs) or email communications, showrooms can manage their own transactions, creating a faster, more transparent buying experience.
From manual processes to automation
Before implementing SparkLayer, the process for showroom orders at 34 St. John was far more time-consuming.
Each showroom would send over a purchase order (PO), which then had to be manually processed by the customer service team. Not only did this take valuable time, but it also left room for human error.
SparkLayer’s Sales Agent tool has revolutionised this process for the business.
Orders are now entered directly into the system by the showrooms themselves, meaning the 34 St. John team no longer needs to enter information or edit pricing manually.
“From our perspective, it stops our customer service team from having to key in each order. So there's cost savings there, which is brilliant. It's gone fantastically well”, Kevin Sears.
By removing manual ordering processes, 34 St. John has reduced the risk of mistakes and improved the accuracy of their data. This, in turn, has led to smoother fulfilment, fewer order issues, and improved customer experience.
Personalisation through Customer Groups
One of the most powerful combinations within SparkLayer is the integration of Sales Agent and Customer Groups. For 34 St. John, this has been a game-changer in delivering a personalised experience for every showroom partner.
Using Shopify’s customer tagging system, 34 St. John’s B2B portal auto-assigns each showroom to the correct segment within SparkLayer. This ensures that pricing, discount rules, and product visibility are all tailored to each specific account.
Empowering smaller businesses
One of the most rewarding aspects of this transformation is how it empowers independent showrooms - many of which are smaller businesses without in-house, back-office resources.
“When we talk to independent showrooms about the software, that's definitely a big selling point”, Kevin Sears.
For these smaller businesses, having direct access to their B2B portal gives them more control and confidence. They can access their order history and view delivery timelines without relying on 34 St. John’s customer service team.
This level of autonomy not only saves time but also strengthens their relationship with 34 St. John as a trusted supplier. For 34 St. John, this self-service model means their sales and support teams can focus more on high-value work, like nurturing relationships and growing the brand’s presence.
Digital transformation in the showroom
What’s interesting about 34 St. John’s use of SparkLayer is how they’ve brought digital transformation into a traditionally offline environment.
Showrooms have always been an important part of the buying journey in the home and interior design industry, but that doesn’t mean the ordering process has to be old-fashioned.
By equipping their showroom partners with modern B2B tools, 34 St. John has struck the perfect balance between personalised service and digital efficiency. For brands looking to modernise their B2B operations, this is a prime example of how technology can support, rather than replace, human relationships.
Looking ahead
As SparkLayer continues to evolve, the Sales Agent feature remains one of our most flexible features. Whether used in showrooms, at trade shows, or by internal sales teams, it empowers staff to serve customers better and keep operations running smoothly.
34 St. John’s success shows that when B2B systems are designed with usability in mind, they can transform traditional, everyday processes.
Their story highlights exactly what we aim for at SparkLayer - helping businesses bring modern efficiency to traditional B2B sales while keeping the personal touch that makes great brands stand out!
Explore more
To learn more about 34 St John, their product range, and the story of their brand, visit their website. You can also read the full case study with them for more details.
Learn more about SparkLayer’s Sales Agent tool or book a call with our team to try it for yourself.
To see how SparkLayer works with Shopify, you can explore via the links below: